2 1/2 month old leghorn chick... can she eat lay feed?

[adcockfarm]

hi we have 6 chickens and one is a 3 1/5 months and one is about 2 1/2 months and we just merged them with a laying flock. can they all eat the lay crumble? thanks!

 

[redsoxs]

I have read on BYC that you should not introduce layer ration to hens until they actually start to lay - it may be damaging to the kidneys of the young birds.

 

[aart]

I have read on BYC that you should not introduce layer ration to hens until they actually start to lay - it may be damaging to the kidneys of the young birds.

Ditto Dat^^^

Birds that young also nee more protein than is in layer feed.

I like to feed a flock raiser/grower/finisher 20% protein crumble full time to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat. I do grind up the crumbles (in the blender) for the chicks for the first week or so.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer. I adjust the amounts of other feeds to get the protein levels desired with varying situations.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (a freshly trapped mouse, mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided once in while and during molting and/or if I see any feather eating.

 

[adcockfarm]

have any ideas on how i could make them eat their own food? do i have to separate them? thx

 

[SueT]

Give everyone the flock raiser feed....you can save your layer feed a couple of months.

Animal protein (a freshly trapped mouse, mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided once in while and during molting and/or if I see any feather eating.

aart, re mice-- one of my pullets caught a mouse and swallowed it whole. Since then, she has laid more eggs than anyone else. So I have considered giving them trapped mice, but wondered about parasites. Any input on that?

 

[aart]

have any ideas on how i could make them eat their own food? do i have to separate them? thx

Did you see my post above?

Give everyone the flock raiser feed....you can save your layer feed a couple of months.

Quote: I'll give them fresh trapped.
I have several snap traps kept constantly set in the coop where the birds can't get at them,
they are checked every morning and if there's a mouse in them I toss it into the run,
and they usually eat it.... after the requisite keep away game.

 

[adcockfarm]

full time to all ages and genders


oops! glanced over this part... thanks!